This invention is directed to the field of laying and leveling a tile floor, both indoors and outside, more particularly to system for laying and leveling generally rectangular-like flooring tiles that incorporates a series of leveling inserts embedded within the flooring adhesive. The inserts are embedded at locations to underlie the respective corners of the tiles.
The present invention relates to a unique system for laying and leveling a tile-like floor, especially heavy tiles such as precast or marble tiles whose weight can effect the laying and ultimate leveling of such tiles. A broad molded insert is positioned within the tile adhesive, whether a cement mix for outdoors or polyermeric adhesive for indoor floors, at the respective corners or joints for adjacent tiles.
Both professionals and do-it-yourselfers who wish to place or replace a tile floor, whether indoor or out doors, can be a difficult task as the underlying floor or substrate often is not flat. As a consequence, much preliminary effort is required to prepare the site for the laying of a tile floor. The prior art recognized some of the difficulties in this task, where the prior art is reflected in the following U.S. Patents:
a.) U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,184, to Fernandes, teaches a tile floor installing system that includes the installation of tiled coverings on unprepared underlying substrates. The base has two substantially parallel surfaces, openings to permit the introduction of mortar between the base and the underlying substrate, fastening points for the use of mechanical fasteners to attach the base to the underlying substrate, and fixed or adjustable spacers to keep the base in proper alignment with the underlying substrate. One or more curved edges may be added to accommodate curved-edged tiled coverings, interlocking segments may be added to provide additional lateral support and a ledge may be added to assist in supporting the tiled coverings or for leveling purposes. Mortar may be introduced into the space between the lower surface of the base and the underlying substrate through openings in the base and the tiled coverings are attached to the mortar presented at the openings. Alternatively, the tiled coverings may be attached to the base using a mastic or adhesive and the installation accomplished without mortar.
b.) U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,619, to Volkema, Jr. relates an adjustable frame for simultaneously aligning and installing multiple tiles on a floor. The adjustable frame contains a plurality of tile apertures. Each tile aperture is sized to accept a particular tile size. Tiles are inserted into each of the tile apertures to allow multiple tiles to be installed and automatically be aligned with one another during the installation process. The width of the grout area between the tiles is thus automatically set by the width of the adjustable frame segments. The adjustable frame is fabricated from independent frame segments which have internal adjustment rod channels. Adjustment rods are adjustably secured to two frame segments such that the distance between the frame segments can be selectably varied. By varying the distance between frame segments, the size of the tile aperture is varied, and therefore the tile size can be varied. The size of the tile apertures can be independently varied in a lateral direction or in a longitudinal direction. Frame segments are independently adjustable such that multiple tile sizes can be installed simultaneously. Tiles with a square or rectangular shape can be installed simultaneously.
c.) U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,256, to McCleary, discloses an adjustable, floor tile mortar and grout spreading device for applying bonding material at a predermined thickness in an efficient manner, and for spreading grout between floor tiles. The device comprises a telescopically adjustable rectangular frame having a leading edge and a trailing edge and a pair of downwardly extending sides for containing bonding material. The rectangular frame is telescopically adjustable to various widths and can be fixed at a particular width depending upon the size tile for the given installation. In one embodiment, the trailing edge incorporates a downwardly extending trowel blade having a conventional trowel blade edge with either a saw-tooth or square-toothed shape. The trowel blade is adjustable such that the device may be used for spreading various thicknesses of bonding material. Bonding material is poured onto the subfloor between the frame leading edge and trailing edge is spread by sliding the device across the sub-floor such that the trailing edge trowel spreads the bonding material uniformly. In the grout spreading configuration, the trowel blade is replaced by a first grout float and a second grout float acting as a squeegee is attached at the trailing end for spreading grout into the gaps existing between individual tiles.
While such efforts as found in the foregoing patents offer some assistance in laying a tiled floor, none offer the simplicity of laying and leveling a tile floor, particularly a heavy tile flooring material, such as precast concrete and marble tiles. The manner by which the present invention meets the goals of this invention will become apparent in the following description, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
This invention is directed to a system for laying and leveling a tile floor, preferably rectangular or square tiles for indoors or outdoors applications, that is being placed on a subfloor or ground base. A typical first step is the application of an adhesive, such as a cement compound or polymeric substance, then leveled by spreading with a trowel or related implement. Thereafter, tile positions may be aligned by a grid to precisely define the location of the respective tiles. At joint or corner locations molded plastic inserts, having planar upper and lower surfaces, are positioned, where said inserts are preferably circular in configuration, though other shapes may be used, for internal joints, having plural radial vanes, each containing a series of through openings. For edge and corner applications, the inserts may preferrably comprise a semi-circular or quarter-circular members. In all cases, the series of openings allow the adhesive to ooze into and secure said inserts while providing a level surface and of a size to receive the overlying tiles. Especially with heavy tiles, such as precast concrete or marble, it is critical to provide a broad surface to avoid uneven placement of the tiles. In those applications where it may be desirable to space adjacent tiles from one another, where the spacing is ultimately filled with a grouting material, a plastic divider is provided. The divider, which may vary in configuration depending on the particular joint in question, i.e. two, three or four tiles, includes at least a pair of vertical walls, where the lower edges are provided with one or more tapered projections which cooperate with the openings to temporarily space adjacent tiles from one another.
A modified, vertically adjustable insert is contemplated where it may be desirable to provide vertical adjustment for the system. The modified insert may comprise a pair of disk-like components that are rotatable relative to one another, where the mating surfaces act as camming surfaces to raise or lower the disk assembly when rotated from 0xc2x0 to 180xc2x0.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an effective system for laying and leveling a tile floor, for indoor and outdoor applications, where the system is especially suited for heavy precast or marble tiles.
Another object hereof is the provision of a seating insert to ensure a level tile floor.
A further object lies in the use of an insert having a planar upper surface and a series of radial vanes, where each said vane includes a series of through openings to allow the underlying adhesive to ooze into said openings to anchor the vanes and provide a level surface for receiving the overlying tiles.